Muffler for internal-combustion engines



Jan. 6, 1925. 1,522,111

- A. FRANQK-PHILIPSON MUFFLER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb.16, 1924 fixel flancii 12 k15215 65022,1

maintai Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

AXEL FRANCK-IPHILIPSON, O'F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUFFLER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed February 16, 1924. Serial No. 693,189.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Axnn FRANCK-PHIL- IISON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mufflersfor Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has for its object to provide simple, practical andefficient means for subjecting the exhaust gases of the internalcombustion engines of automobiles in particular, to the action of a massof material adapted to convert the carbonmonoxide thereof intocarbon-dioxide in such manner and under such conditions as to cause themass of said material or materials to constitute a readily permeableresistant medium functioning as the no se mufiiing element withoutcreating a backpressure tending to interfere with the efficientoperation of the motor while at the same time said mass of material isso disposed as to be subjected to the substantially maximum heat of thefreshly exhausted gases to thereby promote rapid reaction to effect theconversion aforesaid, and thus enable a comparatively small quantity ofthe active reagent, employed for said conversion purposes, to be used.

A further object of the invention is to provide means, as aforesaid, insuch relation to the source of supply of the exhaust gases as to causethe latter to promote and the degree of permeability of said mass as isessential to the prevention of the accumulation of appreciableengine-deterrent back-pressure of said exhaust gases; to preventpenetration of water and oil to the active reagent of the mass tothereby preserve the activity of the latter; to so dispose said mass inthe path of the exhaust gases as to present the maximum area per unit ofweight or volume of the mass, to the gases;

to provide a suitable volume of free space for the reception of thegases prior to their passage through the mass to promote uniformdistribution of said gases over the whole area of said mass to therebyprevent localization of gas-penetration through some parts of the massin excess of other parts thereof; to embody the mass in such form as isbest adapted to insure uniform penetration of gases therethrough andobtain the maximum advantage of the exposure of fresh areas, byattrition, to direct contact with the gases; to provide means forreadily and quickly renewing the mass or any part thereof, and generallyto provide a means adapted to the purposes aforesaid which will meet alland severally the practical requirements involved in the successfuloperation of internal combustion engines.

A suitable embodiment of a means for carrying out the several purposesand obtaining the advantages of the invention, is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection of a device adapted to the purposes of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line 22 ofFig. 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a removable container or cartridge forthe ready removal and replacement of the mass of material employed or ofany portion thereof.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings'is intended solely torepresent an exemplary device containing the essential elements of a.commercially practicable muffler capable of functioning as aforesaid.

Thus the embodiment illustrated comprises a relatively long and narrowcasing consisting of an upper or cover portion A and a lower or bodyportion B which are suitably detachably associated by means of any kindof fastening devices 0 adaptable to the purpose and associated with, forexample, the peripheral flanges D of said portions A and B, it beingunderstood that any means whereby access may be had to the interior ofthe casing for the removal and replacement of masses of materialsadapted to the purposes of the invention, may be substituted for theparticular means and arrangement shown and described.

The materials employed are preferably disposed in bodily removablecontainers E and F, having foraminous walls and constituting cartridges.The latter are intended and adapted to be so disposed in the casing asto provide a relatively large free space G, associated with the intake Hfor hot exhaust gases to be passed through the cartridges, and asufficiently large chamber I communicating with the discharge pipe J toprevent accumulation of gases in said chamher I to effect backressure.In said chamber G are mounte one or more inclined baflle or deflectingplates K extending from substantially the level of the bottom of a lowercartridge E to a level spaced from the bottom of the said chamber G soas to permit free travel of the entering gases throughout the length ofsaid chamber for effecting thorough distribution of said gases. As theentering ases are deflected toward the bottom of said chamber G, oil andwater carried thereby will be quite efficiently separated therefrom.

The cartridges E and F, which are intended to exemplify a plurality ofsuch devices in the event that it shall be desirable to employ more thantwo thereof, are of lateral and longitudinal dimensions correspondingsubstantially to the inner length and width of the lower portion B ofthe casing at the respective levels intended for the reception thereof.The lower cartridge Eis intended to contain coke, charcoal or anysimilar, preferably light, porous mass 1n a coarse granular or smalllump form which is very readily permeable by the gases and will take upfrom the same oil and water carried thereby and will, to a large extent,filter out smoke and soot, the main function of this mass being torotect the material contained in the cartridge F from contact with oiland water to thereby preserve it in the condition most advantageous toits reaction upon the exhaust gases for the purposes aforesaid.

The upper cartridge contains a catalyst such as manganese dioxide insuch a physical state from the standpoint of size of particles thereofas is adapted to permit easy permeation of gases therethrough whilepresenting suflicient surface to said gases in passage to insureeflicient reaction for the aforesaid purposes. This may be mostadvantageously accomplished by introducing the catalyst in the form ofsmall spheres or the like or in an approximately similar form, the sizeof the spheres or the like being dependent more or less upon theavailable depth of the mass and the total surface necessary to beexposed to the passing gases to efliciently perform the aforesaidfunction of converting the carbon-monoxide into carbon-dioxide.

Obviously the rapidity of reaction of a catalyst of the type abovementioned is promoted by heat in direct ratio of its intensity up to thepoint at which disintegration occurs. It is quite essential in practiceto limit both the volume and weight of the catalyst as far as possiblewithout sacrifice of sufficiency to function continuously for suchmaximum periods of continuing motor operation as commonly occur incities, the function of conversion aforesaid being essential only inconfined areas such as buildings, sheds, streets and alle s wherepractically instant diffusion of said exhaust gases cannot ordinarilytake place.

The arrangement illustrated provides a very large area of mass or massesof relatively little depth for the easy permeation of the exhaust gasesto thereby prevent accumulation of the latter in the chamber G to anextent sufficient to effect back-pressure of a degree which will tend tointerfere with the efficient operation of the motor. Under the influenceof vibration due to travel of the vehicle, the masses in the severalcartridges tend to settle and pack closely in the bottom portions of thelatter. The upward passage of the gases tends to neutralize or preventsuch close packing and maintains the necessary degree of permeability.Attrition results from this vibration as well as by frictional contactof the gases with the particles. In the case of the catalyst this isadvantageous in that fresh surfaces are being constantly presented tothe action of the gases.

Preferably the cartridges E and F are of respectively differentdimensions in order that proper relative disposition thereof may heassured and to this end the walls of the portion B of said casing arestepped to provide supporting shoulders L and M at different elevations,the distances between said shoulders'beiug such that a cartridge Fcannot occupy the place intended for a cartridge E, and vice versa.

The cartrid es may include a deodorizing agent and a ehydrating agent,if desired. the number of said cartridges and their contents being amatter of choice and involving entirely obvious modification of theembodiment shown and described to accommodate the same.

Positioning the casing closely proximate to the discharge end of theexhaust manifold of the motor in order that gases enter- ;ing saidcasing may be at their maximum temperatures is very advantageous forreasons above pointed out. w r sludge-cock N or equivalent device may beprovided for draining water and oil from the chamber G.

In this embodiment of the invention, the mass or masses of materialemployed effect a multiplicity of functions simultaneously, includingthat of eflicient mufiling of noise without creating an undesirabledegree of hack-pressure. Preferably some free space isprovided betweenthe cartridges E and F and flexible separating or spacing devices 0 aredisposed between them toprevent the cartridges from jumping up and downduring travel of the vehicle. It will be noted that the edge portions ofthe cover member A bear upon the edge portions of the cartridge F tohold same firmly upon its support.

III

The said cartridges may also be regarded in the light of foraminouscakes of materials of the character indicated.

The total area ofthe surface of the mass opposed to the free flow of theexhaust gases must necessarily bear a distinct relation to the size andshape of the particles composing the mass as well as the depth of thelatter. That is to say that the coarser the particles the larger will bethe irregular passages for the gases, whereas smaller partioles willprovide a larger number of smaller passages. Intimacy of contact betweenthe particles and the gases becomes greater as the particles becomesmaller. Total depth of the mass in the direction of flow of the gasestherethrough must necessarily increase in direct ratio to the size ofthe particles to effect the equivalent intimacy of surface contactbetween the gases and said particles. In order that accumulation ofback-pressure in the chamber G .may be avoided, the total area ofpassages through the mass should be approximately equal to thecross-sectional area of the discharge end of the exhaust. manifold'ofthe motor.

The area aforesaid will be determined in much the same manner as is thatof the filter-bed of a sand filter for water-purification, this beingdetermined by the depth of the bed, the mesh of the sand thereof, andthe maximum rate of flow of water therethrough expressed in gallons perminute at a predetermined pressure. Thus the area of surface of the massmaybe defined only in terms of comparison with filter practice, and inthe appended claims, the expression large area will be understood tomean such an area in proportion to depth and the mesh of the componentparticles, with relation to the cross sectional area of the dischargeend of the exhaust pipe of the motor as will permit a sufficiently freeflow of gases through the mass to prevent accumulation of deterrentback-pressure in excess of that afforded by the mufflers commonlyemployed.

Shrinkage of the mass by attrition and erosion will, in the course oftime, result in a freedom of permeation of gases therethrough to anextent capable of defeating the iuuflliug function to an extent thatwill become aurally appreciable and give notice of the necessity ofrenewing the mass, this being a distinct advantage and constituting anobject of the invention.

In order to effect uniform distribution of the gases over the entirearea of the mass, it is preferable to dispose the face of the latterparallel with the normal direction of flow of said gases into thechamber G instead of transversely thereto.

It is to be understood that the precise relative arrangementsillustrated and described shall not act to limit the appended claimsinconsistently with the broadest construction of the language thereof.

The engine P and its exhaust pipe Q, connected with the intake pipe Hserves to indicate the preferred proximity of the gas treating device tothe source of supply of the exhaust gases in order that the latter maybe received and treated while at maximum temperature.

It is well known that the catalyst, such as manganese dioxide, willreact on gases containing moisture when said catalyst is heated to arelatively high degree, approximating 300 F. and over. It is, however,deleteriou'sly effected by surface deposits of oil or oily soot in thatthe latter prevents contact with the gases. Hence, the rubbing. togetherof surface resulting in attrition of the particles of catlyst is veryadvantageous to effect cleansing of said surfaces and preserving theirreactive properties.

Reference to discharge opening or the like in the claims will beconstrued to mean one or" more openings presenting a sufficient area toprevent accumulation of back-pressure 1n the upper chamber of thedevice.

By maximum temperature as used herein is meant the highest temperaturepracticable to promote reaction of the catalyst upon the gases withoutefi'ecting disintegration of said catalyst, it being understood that thehighest temperature of said exhaust gases of an automobile engine isordinarily far below that at which disintegration of the catalystoccurs.

The employment of the catalyst for the conversion of carbon-monoxideinto carbon dioxide being well-known and being therefore, per se, not ofany invention, it will be understood that while a catalyst is preferableto any other substance known to me for use as .liereindescribed. anyother substance, .capable of substitution for the 7 catalyst, may be sosubstituted without affecting the scope of the invention as defined inand by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for removing carbonmonoxide from the exhaust gases ofinternal combustion engines comprising a casing having an expansionchamber adapted for communication with the exhaust pipe of an engine,and having an outlet for free communication with atmosphere, said outletbeing of an area sufficient to prevent accu mulation of pressure in saidcasing, means interposed between the inlet and exhaust ends of saidcasing for mechanically separating liquids from the exhaust gases, areadily permeable foraminous body of loose particles of a catalyticmaterial disposed between said means and the exhaust gases to passtherethrough in a direction to cause said gases to prevent compaction ofsaid particles to thereby maintain the permc- K ability of the bodythereof, said body presenting a sufliciently large area opposed to thedirection of flowv of gases theretlirough in pro ortion to the area ofthe exhaust pipe of tie engine as to ofl'er no substantial resistance topassage of said gases therethrough, thereby preventing accumulation ofengine-deterrent back pressure within said casing.

2. A mufiler for internal combustion engines comprising a'casinghaving alower expansion chamber for receiving the hot products of'combustion,'means within said chamber for mechanically separatingliquids from said products without substantial resistance to freepassage of said products therethrough, a layer of a coarse, readilypermeable filtering material constituting the upper wall of saidchamber, a similar layer of a catalytic material disposed above saidfirst-named layer, there being a substantial expansion chamber abovesaid layer of catalytic material communicating freely with atmosphere,-,said chambers and layers adapted for substantially free passage ofproducts of combustion, to thereby avoid accumulation of enginedeterrent back-pressure within said casing while efi'ectin' efficientmulfiing of noise, the products combustion serving to res st compactionof said layers.

3. A- mufiler for internal combustion engines comprising a casin have a,lower expansion chamber equippe 'with an intake opening for gases atone-end, means within said chamber for efi'ecting mechanical separationof liquids from said-gases without substantial resistance to free assageof the latter, a layer of loose granu es of a filtering materialconstituting the "upper wall of said chamber, the area of the top andbottom faces of said layer being of such area and the size and nature ofsaid granules such that said layer is readily permeable by said gases, asimilar layer of a catalytic material disposed above said filte'ringlayer, and a ,substantial expansion chamber communicating freely withatmosphere, disposed above saidcatalytic layer.

4. A mufller for internal combustion engines including a casin havinginlet and discharge openings, the atter of greater area than the former,confined la ers of loose compactible ranular material is osed within thecasing etween the inlet an discharge openings, there being substantialexpansion chambers on opposite sides of said ayers, the latter arrangedfor passage of exhaust gases therethrough in a direction adapted tooppose compaction of said layers, means in the gas receiving chamber formechanically separating liquids from the gases without substantialresistance to the free passage of said gases, the areas of said layersopposed to the direction of travel of said gases and the permeabilitythereof being such as to obviate substantial resistance to free passageof said gases.

5. A -mufller for internal combustion engines including a casing havinginlet and discharge openings, the latter of greater area than theformer, confined bodily removable layers of loose compactible granularmaterial disposed within the casing between the inlet and dischargeopenings, there being substantial expansion chambers .on' opposite sidesof said layers, the latter arranged for passage of exhaust gasestherethrough in a direction adapted to oppose compaction of said layers,means in the gas recelving chamber for mechanically separating liquidsfrom the gases without substantial resistance to the free passage ofsaid gases, the areas of said layers opposed to the direction of travelof said gases and the permeability thereof being such as to obviatesubstantial resistance to free passage of said gases.

AXEL FRANCK-PHILIPSON.

